Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Toeiannounced the cast of Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, the next installment in its live-action special effects franchiseKamen Rider, on Tuesday. The title is coined from the terms "extreme" and "aid," and the story centers on new heroes who are "doctors x gamers" battling a type of mysterious game virus known as "Bugster."
The cast includes:

Hiroki Iijima as Emu Hōjō/Kamen Rider Ex-Aid, a medical student at Seito University Hospital who fights the "Bugstar" game viruses. After transforming with the Game Driver into an Kamen Rider based on action games, the protagonist will begin at level one (below center) and help people who have been infected by the game virus "Bugster." Then, the protagonist will level-up to level two (below right) and fight the materialized Bugster.Toshiki Seto as Hiiro Kagami/Kamen Rider Brave, a surgeon at Seito University Hospital. Kamen Rider Brave is based on role-playing games.
Ukyo Matsumoto as Taiga Hanaya/Kamen Rider Snipe, a doctor who lost his license and attacks Ho and Kagami. Kamen rider Snipe is based on shooter games.Ruka Matsuda as Asuna Karino/Poppiipipo PapoTetsuya Iwanaga as Kuroto Dan, president of the Genmu corporation

Other cast members include Shōma Kai as Parado, Hanamaru Hakata as Kagami's surgeon father Haima Kagami, Hironobu Nomura as Kyūtarō Hinata, Hayata Onozuka as Kiriya Kujō, and Junichi Suwabe as the narrator.
Shojiro Nakazawa is directing the series, while Yuuya Takahashi (Laughing Under the Clouds, Lupin III: Part IV) is credited as head writer. Daichi Miura will perform the series' theme song "EXCITE." The series will celebrate the franchise's 45th anniversary. The series will have visual elements themed after video games, such as gauges seen in fighting games and role-playing games.
The show will premiere on TV Asahi October 2, but the protagonist made an appearance in the Gekijōban Kamen Rider Ghost: 100 no Eyecon to Ghost Unmei no Shunkan (Kamen Rider Ghost The Movie: 100 Eyecons and the Moment of Ghost's Destiny) film, which opened on August 6.

Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald face a new crisis of epic proportions: a giant meteor hurtling toward the planet! Don't miss these awesome new adventures inspired by the best-selling Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire video games and picking up where the Pokémon Adventures Ruby and Sapphire saga left off!

The company also announced that it will release Santa Harukaze's Pokémon Pocket Comics manga as a two-volume box set. The box set will retail for US$16.99 and is slated for October.

Viz Media describes the manga:

The Pokémon Pocket Comics Box Set contains two pocket-sized books, each jam-packed with four-panel comic strips. The first volume features Pokémon Black & White characters, and the second volume features Legendary characters from the Pokémon series. Created by Santa Harukaze, both are full of vital statistics, trivia, puzzles, fun quizzes and more!

The live-action movie of Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist manga ended filming on Friday, August 26, but not before Arakawa herself had a chance to visit the sets on August 5.

Principal photography lasted three months — relatively long for Japanese live-action films. The production began filming in Italy in June, and it has been shooting in various locales in Japan.
When Arakawa visited the sets, she talked with the cast and staff, as well as saw the filming of the movie's climax scene. She took deep interest in the elaborate costumes and sets, and surprised the cast and staff with an sketch (pictured above) on a filming board to celebrate her visit.
Italian newspaper La Nazione previously unveiled photos of the film's shooting in the Italian town of Volterra in June.
The film will open in Japan in winter 2017. Fumihiko Sori (live-action Ping Pong) is directing the film. On adapting the source material, Sori said, "I want to create a style that follows the original manga as much as possible. The cast is entirely Japanese, but the cultural background is Europe. However, it's a style that doesn't represent a specific race or country." Regarding the faithfulness of the adaptation, which has characters of non-Japanese ethnicity, the director said, "There will never be a scene in which a character says something that would identify him/her as Japanese."

The film stars Ryōsuke Yamada (Hey! Say! JUMP member and live-action Assassination Classroom's Nagisa) as Edward Elric, Tsubasa Honda (live-action Blue Spring Ride's Futaba) (pictured top right in image to the right) as Winry Rockbell, and Dean Fujioka (live-action Happy Marriage!?) (pictured bottom left in image to the right) as Roy Mustang. Other cast members include:

The film tells the story in one complete film. Ed is being aged up to 20 years old; he was originally 15 in the manga.
Sori told Oricon he has a deep affection for the story that tells the "truth of living," and said, "It is my dearest wish to turn this wonderful story into a film, and it is not an exaggeration to say that I am living for this reason." He added that he "wants to create a wonderful film that uses techniques that challenge Hollywood," and noted that nowadays Japanese filmmaking techniques have progressed greatly.

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “auto-mail” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother's bodies...the legendary Philosopher's Stone.

The previously announced commercial for Lux shampoo and conditioner featuring virtual idol Hatsune Miku and Ghost in the Shell star Scarlett Johansson has been posted on the official campaign site and will begin airing on Japanese television on August 31.
In the commercial, which is shown below, Miku is inspired by a billboard of Scarlett Johansson with straight, long hair and decides to try taking down her signature twintails. The video features the Hatsune Miku Symphony's opening song, "Mirai Jokyoku" (Future Overture), which was produced by Mitchie M.

Thanks to the strength of the first four releases and the ongoing support we receive from fans, we are thrilled to announce that we have commissioned a further four projects, the first of which is the classic Dalek tale from the twenty-fifth anniversary year.

Remembrance of the Daleks was always the top of my list, as it is not only a strong evocative story from this era of Doctor Who, but the original release gave us scope to go back and talk to those not originally featured on the commentary track.

Remembrance of the Daleks opened Doctor Who's 25th-anniversary series in 1988. The release consists of six new commentaries, including alternative tracks for episodes one and three. Both the CD and download editions are now available priced £10.99 and £9.99 respectively, ahead of the trade release next month.

Please note: these commentaries contain no BBC copyrighted elements and do not feature audio from the episodes themselves - these are designed to be played alongside the official DVD releases.

Tuesday, 30 August 2016

Yen Pressannounced on Monday that light novel author Isuna Hasekura (Spice and Wolf, World End Economica) will be a guest at this year's New York Comic Con. Yen Press also announced that it will release the 17-volume Spice and Wolf novel series in one tenth anniversary omnibus edition. The numbered edition is slated for October. Amazon is listing the edition as a hardcover volume for US$150.
Hasekura published the Spice and Wolf novel series with illustrations by Jū Ayakura from 2006 to 2011. Yen Press published the 17th and final novel in North America on April 19, and is also publishing the manga adaptation. Hasekura began a sequel, Shinsetsu Ōkami to Kōshinryō Ōkami to Yōhishi (New Theory Spice & Wolf: Wolf & Parchment), in April.
The novels also inspired two TV anime seasons directed by Takeo Takahashi and written by Naruhisa Arakawa. The first season aired in Japan from January to March 2008, and the second (Spice and Wolf II) from July to September 2009. North American anime distributor Funimationlicensedboth seasons.
Hasekura also wrote the World End Economica visual novel series. Sekai Projectreleased the first episode of World End Economica on Steam in 2014, then launched a Kickstarter to localize the second and third episodes. THe company is also planning a PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita release in 2017.
New York Comic Con will be held from October 6-9 at the Javits Center. Assassination Classroom manga creator Yusei Matsui will also attend the event.

Artist Kōtarō Yamadaposted on his Twitter account on Sunday that his manga adaptation of author Isao Miura's The Sacred Blacksmith light novels will conclude in the next two chapters. If the manga is not delayed, it will end in Monthly Comic Alive's December issue on October 27. The manga's ninth compiled book volume previously noted that the manga's 10th volume would be the last. Seven Seas is releasing the manga in North America, and it describes the story:

Like her father and grandfather before her, Cecily Campbell has entered the knighthood and joined the ranks of the Knight Guards of Houseman. Eager to do her heritage proud and defend her city, Cecily rushes to the marketplace to stop a madman from terrorizing the populace. She quickly realizes, however, that she is hopelessly outmatched and ill-prepared for an actual fight. A lone figure named Luke Ainsworth swoops to the rescue, a swordsman and blacksmith of much renown, who will repair the broken sword Cecily has inherited from her father and take her down a road of perilous adventure beyond her wildest dreams.

Yamada began the manga in Kadokawa's Monthly Comic Alive magazine in 2009, and Kadokawa shipped the ninth volume in February 2015. Seven Seas shipped the ninth volume last November.
Miura began the original light novel series in 2007, and ended the series in 2013 with a total of 16 volumes.
Miura's light novel series also inspired a 2009 television anime series, and Funimationreleased the anime in North America.

Interest

Premium Bandai has announced huggable Eevee PC cushions as part of their new Pokémon-themed PC cushion line. Reservations opened on August 25 and will run until October 31, and the items will be shipped in November.
The PC cushions have two detachable parts: an Eevee stuffed animal and an arm rest pillow. Both are made of polyester. The arm rest pillow has a keyboard design on it, with original images of Eevee and several other Pokémon.

The Eevee PC cushion is priced at 5,616 yen, or about US$56, with tax included. It is recommended for children ages 6 and up.
Premium Bandai previously released a Pikachu PC cushion, which is still available for order on their website.

If he sees underwear, humanity will be destroyed!? An original anime series from the Noitamina block, PUNCH LINE centers on Yuta Iridatsu, a high school student, with a peculiar habit. When he sees a girl's panties, he gets so excited he faints! After a certain incident with a ghost cat, his soul gets separated from his body. Using his special powers, Yuta watches the daily lives of the inhabitants of an apartment and sometimes plays tricks on them. Eventually, Yuta decides to unlock the secrets to why Earth will be destroyed and tries to save it!

MVM will release the Blu-ray Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works part 1, both as a Collector's Edition Blu-ray and a standard DVD. The Collector's Edition comes with a Season 1 Key Art poster, four Seal Command stickers, and a 24-page booklet containing concept art, storyboards and breakdowns.

From the Anime-On-Line site:

The Holy Grail War has begun. An ancient ritual, seven masters and their seven holy spirits fight to the death. It's said the winner who possesses the Holy Grail is granted any wish they desire. Rin Tohsaka has been training to become a master her whole life, just like her father. Rin and her servant Archer form an unlikely bond with Emiya Shirou who finds himself becoming the master of Saber, one of the most powerful servants in the Holy Grail War. Working together they have to survive knowing only one master can remain. Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Caster, Assassin and Berserker. Who of these seven heroic spirits will earn the mythical Holy Grail and what will they wish for?

The staff of Makoto Shinkai's new your name. (Kimi no Na wa.) anime film announced at a stage greeting event in Tokyo on Sunday that the film will be distributed in 85 countries and regions.
Anime Expo hosted the film's world premiere on July 3 in Los Angeles. Shinkai attended the screening. The film opened in Japan on Friday.
The Kimi no Na wa. film's "story of miracles and love" revolves around Mitsuha and Taki. Mitsuha is a female high school student who lives in a rural town nestled deep in the mountains. Her father is the mayor and isn't at home much, and she lives with her elementary school-aged little sister and her grandmother. Mitsuha has an honest personality, but she doesn't like the customs of her family's Shinto shrine, nor does she like her father participating in an election campaign. She laments that she lives in a confined rural town, and yearns for the wonderful lifestyle of living in Tokyo. Taki is a male high school student who lives in central Tokyo. He spends time with his friends, works part-time at an Italian restaurant, and is interested in architecture and fine arts. One day, Mitsuha has a dream where she is a young man. Taki also has a dream where he is a female high school student in a town in the mountains that he has never been to. What is the secret to their dreams of personal experience?